Certain employees must wear prescribed uniforms in performing their duties. These employees are entitled to the following:
- A uniform allowance to purchase authorized uniform items; or
- To be provided uniforms that meet Postal Service specifications.
The annual allowance authorized to each employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement is determined by the terms of that agreement. Allowances for other employees are set as a matter of policy.
The following standards apply:
- The Uniform Program consists of a number of types of clothing developed for various positions. The type of uniform depends on the following for the position:
- Level of visibility to the public.
- Type of work normally performed.
- Physical environment in which the employee normally works.
- The types of uniforms include the following categories grouped by position:
- Type 1:
- City letter carriers.
- Clerk/special delivery messengers.
- Clerks performing city letter carrier duties.
- Motor vehicle operators.
- Tractor-trailer operators.
- New work PVS PSEs motor vehicle operators and tractor-trailer operators.
- Driving instructors and examiners.
- Letterbox mechanics.
- Ramp clerks and transfer clerks.
- AMF performing ramp clerk duties.
- Area maintenance technicians/specialists.
- Maintenance mechanics working as letterbox mechanics (see 932.11h).
- Passenger elevator operators, and elevator starters.
- Type 2: Employees assigned to retail operations.
- Type 3:
- Vehicle maintenance.
- Custodial maintenance.
- Mail handlers.
- BMEU.
- Clerical employees eligible under 932.12 and 932.13.
- Type 4: Security force police officers.
- Type 5: Bargaining unit and nonbargaining unit medical personnel.
- Type 6: Supervisors.
- The criteria are different for each type of uniform. Also, the procedures necessary to establish or terminate an employee are different in each category. Installation heads must familiarize themselves with the criteria established for each type so that certifications are made under the correct program.
Uniforms are provided to certain employees for the following reasons:
- To provide immediate visual identification with the Postal Service to the public.
- To project an appearance to the public that is neat, professional, and pleasing.
- To help develop in the employee a feeling of esprit de corps.
- To meet standard professional practices (doctors, nurses, etc.).
Work clothes are provided to certain employees:
- Who perform dirty work or work with toxic materials.
- When it is important that they be recognized and identified with the Postal Service, work clothes are provided for employees who work in public view.
- To certain full-time employees working full time in areas where work clothing is essential.
Supervisors are responsible for continually observing the uniforms of employees and taking appropriate corrective action, when necessary, to ensure employees are properly attired.
Items of uniform dress are listed in 933.1 through 933.6. These lists include all items to which allowances are applicable, that employees in these categories may be required to wear under various circumstances (see 936.14). The lists do not mean that every employee is required to acquire and wear every one of the items at some time during service in the category. On the contrary, the list for each of several categories contains a number of items that some employees in a particular category may never need to wear. It is the intent of these regulations that appropriate items for wear in matters of this kind be determined at the installations, in accordance with collective bargaining agreements and Postal Service policy.
Installation heads:
- Post a list of uniform items authorized for the installation. The list indicates those items that are required and those that are optional to the employee.
- Enforce all uniform allowance regulations and prevents abuses.
- Make all rules and regulations governing uniform clothing and accessory purchases readily accessible to all employees and vendors.
Postal employees are responsible for being adequately and properly dressed for duty. They are expected to maintain high standards of appearance, representing to the public the best tradition of service and efficiency while performing their official duties. Uniform garments should be properly fitted and maintained in a clean, neat, and serviceable condition. Jeans, shorts, sleeveless tops, T–shirts, sweats, spandex, etc., are not appropriate attire for employees working at a retail counter. This list is not meant to be exhaustive.
Uniformed employees are responsible for conforming with all uniform regulations.
Uniforms are worn as follows:
- General. A uniform is worn only while the employee is on duty, in connection with approved activities directly related to postal employment.
- Special Authorization. Postmasters may authorize wearing postal uniforms for activities in which the Postal Service participates, or which it sponsors, where identification with the Postal Service is beneficial to the Service, and while the employee is traveling directly to and from work.
- Restrictions. In no other case may the postal employee’s uniform, or any part of it that identifies the garment or wearer with the Postal Service, be worn in nonpostal employment or activities.
The Postal Service emblem may not be worn except by uniformed postal employees as part of the prescribed uniform except in the following circumstances:
- Postmasters and other installation heads may permit the voluntary wearing of the Postal Service emblems by a postal employee who has daily personal contact with the public, but who is not required to wear a uniform.
- In all other situations, specific authorization is obtained through administrative channels from Labor Relations.
No postal employee may act as agent, directly or indirectly, for any individual or firm engaged in the manufacture or sale of postal employees’ uniform items.
Payment is made for piece goods purchased for use in home sewing of items of uniform apparel authorized for the employee’s craft. Reimbursement to the vendor is made in accordance with 936.5. Note the following:
- Payment is not made for purchases of piece goods for home sewing of any item that is not an authorized uniform garment for the craft concerned.
- Fabric must meet specifications in 932.3.
